Dr Fong Kok Weng had to give an undertaking to the medical profession's regulator not to repeat such conduct and ordered pay the costs of the disciplinary proceedings.

But the SMC spared the general practitioner of Cambridge Medical Centre in Woodlands Street 31 from a fine which would usually have been imposed, in view of what it considered to be 'strong mitigating factors'.

These include Dr Fong voluntarily stopping his practice while he was being investigated, his public service record and testimonials from his patients and colleagues.

Dr Fong pleaded guilty to 11 charges of professional misconduct under the Medical Registration Act, at a disciplinary inquiry held by the SMC on Oct 9.

In a statement on Tuesday, the SMC said that he had 'inappropriately prescribed hypnotic medication' - a type known as benzodiapines - to his patients who claimed to suffer from sleeping or anxiety problems.

Long-term use of such medication could lead to addiction, it noted.

But Dr Fong had not recorded sufficient details of their symptoms, the diagnosis and treatment plan, 'to enable him to properly assess the medical condition of the patient over the period of treatment', it said.